‘Jailhouse Rockers’ take first place in talent showWinners of the Renaissance Restoration Group’s fifth annual Talent Show on April 9 in Dardanelle was first place, ”Jailhouse Rockers” dancing tap, Elizabeth, Kylee Kay, Madison, Cassie, Emily, Karrington, Maya, Emma and Mrs. Jane Freeman, dance instructor; second place, Michael Franks and Mathew Franks, singing and dancing; and third place, Hailey Davis singing, “This little light of mine”. A special performance was by the all new “ZZ Boyz” wh...

Link, Arkansas Tech faculty member for 51 years, diesDr. Michael A. Link, one of only three individuals in the history of Arkansas Tech University to serve on the faculty for a half-century or longer, died on Monday, April 25, 2016. He was 79. Link joined the Arkansas Tech faculty in 1965. He held the rank of associate professor of history at the time of his passing. Link’s 51 years of service put him in company with Dr. Richard Cohoon (1960-2012) and David Krueger (1960-2010) as the only indivi...

ATU students collect 5,008 hygiene items for RSD studentsA committee of Arkansas Tech University students from the Because We Can organization led a campaign in April that collected more than $6,000 in hygiene items for Russellville School District students in need. The project started when Skye Thompson, human services worker for the Russellville School District (RSD), approached Because We Can seeking assistance in providing RSD students and their families with necessary personal items. “I have be...

Clarksville Schools to ask for millage increaseCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville School Board recently discussed a millage increase proposal and reviewed changes in personnel. According to Dr. David Hopkins, superintendent, the school board proposed a millage increase for several items including a safe room and renovations last year which was defeated in the school election. This year, the board is looking to pass a millage increase for a new high school. “The board had to determine what to as...

Class receives drug dog demonstrationBasha, a drug sniffing Belgium Malinois with the Clarksville Police Department, trotted into the criminal justice class at the Arkansas Tech Career Center at Russellville High School last week. Moments later, she was sniffing out a five-year-old marijuana pipe hidden in one of the many metal containers in a circle in the middle of the classroom. When she uncovered the scent, her handler, Todd Russell of the Clarksville Police Department, rewar...

Nicholson elected to two-year term as chairwoman of CASE District IVSusie Nicholson, vice president for student services and university relations at Arkansas Tech University, was elected to a two-year term as chairwoman of Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District IV on Monday, April 4. According to its website, CASE is a “professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, ...

Pottsville School District Kindergarten registration scheduledKindergarten registration for Pottsville School District is scheduled at Pottsville Elementary School from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, May 2. A child must be five years old on or before August 1, 2016 to enroll in kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year. Parents are asked to bring the following to registration: official copy of the child’s birth certificate, immunization record, and record of current physical examination, Social Security card...

RSD to have Kindergarten registrationRussellville School District will hold kindergarten registration at 6 p.m., on April 18-19. Registration for Dwight, Crawford and Sequoyah elementary schools will be on Monday, April 18, and Center Valley, Oakland Heights and London elementary schools will be on Tuesday, April 19. State law requires children be five years of age on or before August 1, 2016, in order to enroll in kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year. Children should be re...

Harness receives Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech UniversityHannah Harness has received a Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech University beginning with the fall 2016 semester. She is the daughter of Jason and Kate Harness, a graduate of Russellville High School and majoring in Elementary Education. Harness has received the ACE award and Cyclone Achiever award. She placed third in Skills USA Cosmetology and placed second in DECA Community Service Project her junior year and placed first in S...

Jennings receives Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech UniversityEmily Jennings has received a Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech University beginning with the fall 2016 semester. She is the daughter of John and Deborah Jennings. Jennings is a graduate of Pottsville High School and majoring in Rehabilitation Sciences at ATU. She was an All-State Cheerleader from 2015-2016, a member of the National Beta Club, on the all A honor roll and an honors student.

Hector Student Council requests more diversity in foods at schoolThe Hector School Board heard reports from the High School Student Council and their financial advisor and approved a school calendar and certified salary schedule for the 2016-17 school year at their regular monthly meeting last week. The student council gave a presentation on the school’s food service. High School Principal Mark Taylor introduced the group, reminding the board that the students are elected representatives of their constituen...

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BY STEVE LEAVELL sleavell@cswnet.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas Tech Students named Governor’s Cup FinalistsFive Arkansas Tech University students have qualified for the innovation division finals of the 2016 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup collegiate business plan competition. Senior management and marketing majors Jacy Allen, Nicholas Colet and Dylan Edgell, all of Pottsville, as well as senior electrical engineering major Logan Geurian of Dardanelle and junior management and marketing major Skylar Combs of Bryant developed a business plan calle...

UACCM announces enrollment numbers increase for Spring 2016MORRILTON – The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton is excited to announce a spring 2016 enrollment increase of 2-percent over spring 2015. The college also saw a 3.5-percent increase in student semester credit hour (SSCH) enrollment. The boost in credit hour enrollment reflects an increase in the number of credit hours in which individual students are enrolled. The spring 2016 semester also had a 6-percent increase in minori...

Whitted receives Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech UniversityTanner Whitted received a Distinguished Scholars award from Arkansas Tech University. His major is engineering. His parents are Ed and Maria Whitted from Dover. Honors, awards and clubs Whitted has been a part of include Future Farmers of America, Beta, National Honors Society, choir, football (1, 2, 4), baseball (1, 2, 3, 4), homecoming escort (2, 4), River Valley Youth Fishing club, Sportsman of the Year, placed first two times in a row in t...

Hector High School participates in Arkansas Junior Science and Humanities SymposiumBreanna Peel, Jonah Watkins, Olivia Eubanks, and Ben McDonald, students at Hector High School, participated in the 50th annual Arkansas Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) March 11 and 12, 2016, on the campus of Arkansas Tech University. Hector students participated in the poster division of Symposium which involved students presenting their research project to students and teachers from across the state, graduate students and colle...

Hector names Taylor superintendentHECTOR — The Hector School Board called a special meeting Wednesday to consider a new superintendent. Out of approximately 16 applications, the board voted to hire Mark Taylor, as the new superintendent with a two-year contract, beginning July 1. Taylor began working at the Hector schools as a coach/teacher and has served the past year as high school principal. Walt Davis, the current superintendent who has been with the Hector School District...

Arkansas Tech set to dedicate $15.1 million Brown Hall on SaturdayArkansas Tech University will host a dedication ceremony for Dr. Robert Charles Brown and Jill Lestage Brown Hall on Saturday. The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the first floor lobby of Brown Hall, located at 105 West O Street on the Arkansas Tech campus in Russellville. The public is invited to attend. Named for the 11th president of Arkansas Tech and his wife, Brown Hall is a four-story, 66,900-square foot structure designed to serve a...

Webb to replace Sorrels as Atkins athletic directorATKINS — The Atkins School Board voted Monday to employ Darrell Webb, current middle school principle, to replace Charlie Sorrels as athletic director, in addition to his current position. Sorrels announced his retirement last month and will be effective at the end of the current school year. The board reviewed and accepted resignations from Suzie Coburn, custodian; Larry Dobbins, custodian; and Leslie Payne, Junior and Senior High girls head ...